Pivotal bottom supporting plate



Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIVOTAL BOTTOM SUPPORTING PLATE Awiuiam H. Uhl, Pennelli, N. Y., assigner to commercial Controls Corporation, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 22, 1950, Serial No. 180,715

(Cl. 21S-1) 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a base structure. and more particularly to a pivotal bottom supporting plate for a mail matter handling machine such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 140,407 led January 25, 1950.

A machine of the type disclosed in the above mentioned pending application is designed for handling envelope mail. Within a single compact unit provision is made for opening sealed envelopes, for moistening the flap of an envelope to be sealed, and for aiixing a stamp in the proper pla-ce.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a pivotal bottom supporting plate for a mailing machine of the type described which will lend more flexibility to the device. Another object is to provide a base or supporting plate adapted to receive for stamping envelopes having the usual contents of but a few sheets of paper, and yet capable of expanding to permit a thick envelope such as one containing bulky documents, to be inserted and stamped. A further object is to provide a supporting plate having provision for partial access at the bottom so that the operator may if desired remove stamps from the machine by hand for use on packages and miscellaneous items. A still further object is to provide a mailing machine base plate which is sturdy in construction, economical, attractively designed, and cushioned along the underside to prevent marring and to rest with traction on a table surface. These and other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and the relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application ofwhich will be indicated in the claims.

In the drawings in which one form of my invention is shown:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mail matter handling machine equipped with a pivotal bottom supporting plate;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional the mailing machine and having fianges around three sides for legs, hinge tabs underneath, and suitable holes to secure the plate with bolts. An envelope supporting member extends over the remainder of the bottom surface and is pivotally attached to the main plate and stepped down to leave an opening in which envelopes may be inserted. Leaves along the side are associated with the main plate hinge tabs to form the pivotal connection between the two parts, and one leaf projects beyond the hinge'point away from the body of the envelope supporting member to serve as a stop to limit its degree of movement. The outer edge of the envelope support is flanged to provide a supporting leg,l and a rubber cushion strip is fitted over the; lower edge of this flange; another rubber strip is fitted around the peripheral flange of the main plate. Accordingly the mailing machine rests squarely on a cushioned base structure. l f

The main plate is secured to the underside of the mailing devicenbut the envelope supporting member is free to pivot to a degree limited upwardly approximately to horizontal position where its upper section strikes the main plate, and limited downwardly by the hinge leaf stop projection. This action allows expansion of the envelope receiving opening. The mailing device itself has a projecting plunger by which the stamp aflixer is operated and this plunger serves as a convenient handle for lifting the entire unit. Thus to expand the envelope opening it is only necessary to grasp the plunger and tilt the machine to one side causing it to pivot on one edge or leg of the main plate. Because of the hinge joint on the main plate the envelope supporting member will remain-stationary. The envelope opening thereby is increased in size and a bulky envelope may be inserted for aixing a stamp thereto when the machine is lowered and actuated, or the operator may with his fingers reach in and remove stamps from the bottom of the mechanism. A sturdy and inexpensive bottom plate structure is thus provided which further adds to the flexibility of a compact mail handling machine.

Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. 1 there is shown at Ill a mail matter handling machine as is disclosed and described in detail in my copending application mentioned before. A device l2 for slitting the ejdge of an envelope is positioned on the left side above an envelope ap moistener |8,\while the stamp aflixing mechanism 20 is located inside casing 22 on the right. The envelope slitter is manually operated by a knob edges 32a, 32h and 32o of plate, 26 are flanged downwardly to form leg structures 3ft on whichv the machine rests, While hingev tabs'ia and 36D project vertically below the supporting surface and are provided with holes for receiving a shaft 38 by which envelope supporting member 3@ isl hinged. Plate 26 extends only to a pointl lill along vided between stamp and envelope regardless of contents.

To limit the amount that member 30 pivots relative to plate 2E, hinge leaf Ma is provided with an extension SD extending a short distance beyondshaft 3 8 under plate 26. Thus, as machine il! isY lifted member 3D pivots relative to plate 2t until end 66 abuts the underside of plate .26. This prevents an inordinate amount of relative swinging of member 30, and yet permits sufcient expansion of opening 5t for bulky envelopes to be inserted, or for the fingers of the operator to reach inv and grasp loose stamps from stamp aiiixing device 2G at opening ti in cover 42.

the bottom of machine LI), thus leaving an open down at to an envelope supporting section which is flat and parallelto bottom cover iii of machine I9. A flangedredge M provides the right hand supporting leg for member 3D, andrubber strips 56 embracing the lower edges 'of flanges .it and 34 cushion the machine base. 4 lThus there is -form'ed an 'opening 5E' between cover 42 of machine IB and envelope'supporting sur-face 52 of member 3E into which an envelope may be inserted for the purpose -of pasting a stamp thereto when plunger IB is pressed down- L wardly. Cover Vl2 is provided with a suit-able opening lll (Figs. 1 and 2) through which stamp afiixing mechanism 20' operates. Point ltiy to which plate 26-eXtends' is located 'to the vright of the centerof gravity of machine ill so that ordinarily all weight is supported squarely on leg structures 34; thus flange 54 merely holds section 52 in parallel relation to cover @2, step 5E'being such, in the present embodiment c1`- the invention, that envelope supporting surface 52 bisects the distance between cover 42 and the table surface on which base structure 2li rests'. This construction permits an envelope the thickness of opening 53 to be inserted and stampedvfith'out shift-ingmachine I0, but when a thicker .piece 'of mail is handled the oprator n'eed only grasp plunger le andpivot machine kI Q o'n edge'ib (Fig. 2) ci plate 2G to expand opening 5t, since meme ber Sii is hinged to plate 2,3 and will not pivot with the rest ofthe machine. When machine i6 is lowered, cover 4Z, rests against thepenvelope while ila-nge 5t supports some Weight due tov machine il.)l beingV canted totheleft as. viewed in Eig. 1. Then when plunger i6 is actuated a stamp. will be pasted Yto the-envelope in v-tjhe-usual fashion. The arrangement'thusprovided has anaddedimportant feature` of preventing aijixing of# stamps to 1 an irregular; wrinkled surface, because the weight of Athe machine l0; and pressure resulting from actuationjof plunger' I6 causes'the portion of bulky. envelopes, exposed under opening: 4i to be flattened by pressing'agairlst section fit. undernea-th, which section .sspportedrby danse. Therefore, a neat thorough binding is always pro- Member 30 has three markings tl engraved along the edge and over flange 54, with numerals 1"2 and 3 placed thereon, to indicate proper location with respect to opening lil of an envelope to be stamped. The right edge of an envelope should be placed along marking El numbered l when a first stamp is afxed. If a second stamp is needed for more postage, the envelope is then shifted to marking 2 and when plunger lli is depressed a second stamp will be posted beside the rst. Similarly a marking numbered 3 denes envelope position when placing a third stamp beside the second.

' Accordingly by a novel mechanical arrangement, I provide a base structure for mail matter handling machines and the like which combines with the features ci an attractive stand, the utilityand added flexibility resulting from an expansible envelope stamping opening, thereby increasingnormal capacity of the machine.

` Since many possible embodiments may be made of the features of the above invention, and since theexaniples herein described may be varied in many particulars, it is to be understood that all "matters hereinabove set forth or shown in the eX- amples are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in 'a limiting sense. Having described my invention, what I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 'I 1. The combination of a portable composite mail handling machine having a bottom with a stamp dispenser opening therein, a stand secured to said machine and laterally spaced from said dispenser Aopening for elevating said machine above a table or the like,'and an envelope supportingV member pivotally connected to said machine and extending belov.7 said stamp dispenser openingto provide a spiace between the supporting member and said bottom which may be expanded bytilting or lifting said machine manually to accommodate envelopes of different thicknesses.

' 2. Thev combination of a portable composite mail handling machine having a substantially flat underside with a stamp dispenser opening there-V in, a stand secured to'said underside for supporting said machine above a table or the like, and a plate exten-ding below said stamp dispenser opening to provide an expansible opening into which anenvelope may be inserted for stamping, said plate having one end pivotally attached to said stand and itsother end adapted to rest on said table, whereby an envelope thicker than said expansible opening at its normal position is compressed by dead weight of said machine during stamping. A v

'3."The4 combinationV of' a stamp aiaing machine including stamp axing mechanism and a stamp dispenser. opening'adiacent one end thereof, means -forsupivortng said` machine.; with. the bottom thereof'. Smead. from. a table. er. the like, and a plate pivotally connected to said machine and extending beneath said dispenser opening, the free end of said plate being shaped to rest on said table to support the plate in substantially parallel relationship with said bottom of said machine so that the opening between said plate and said machine may be varied to accommodate envelopes of different thicknesses by tilting the machine to raise said bottom from said plate.

WILLIAM H. UHL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number` Name Date Richardson Oct. 24, 1832 Tzschucke et a1 Dec. 3, 1901 Smith Feb. 11, 1919 Ryper Mar. 19, 1929 

